Netizen Inquiry: Hello, is High Mountain tea a type of Oolong tea? When brewed, High Mountain tea has a light liquor color and very vibrant green leaves, which looks quite different from the Dongding Oolong tea I usually drink. A friend told me that High Mountain tea belongs to Oolong tea, but others think it resembles green tea. So, is High Mountain tea green tea or Oolong tea?
Is High Mountain Tea Oolong Tea?
Liao Chang Xing: Let’s first explain the definition of Oolong tea: Oolong tea is a partially fermented tea, falling somewhere between green tea and black tea, and is characterized by its fresh vibrancy and sweet aftertaste. Based on the definition of Oolong tea, as long as the tea leaves undergo withering, fermentation, and then a fixation (kill-green) process, they are considered Oolong tea. Most Taiwanese High Mountain teas are produced using the Oolong tea manufacturing process, so the vast majority of High Mountain teas are indeed Oolong tea.
Is High Mountain Tea Always Oolong Tea?
In addition to Oolong tea, Taiwan’s high mountain tea regions also produce black tea, green tea, and white tea. Although their production volume is much smaller compared to Oolong tea, it would not be entirely accurate to say that High Mountain tea is exclusively Oolong tea. Taiwanese High Mountain tea also encompasses High Mountain black tea, High Mountain green tea, and High Mountain white tea.
Many people feel that High Mountain Oolong tea resembles green tea, mainly because of its vibrant green leaves and light tea liquor color. Combined with the fact that Taiwanese High Mountain Oolong has been processed with increasingly lighter fermentation in recent years, many mistake High Mountain Oolong for green tea, though distinct differences still exist. Next time you visit a tea shop, you can buy small quantities of green tea, High Mountain Oolong, and lowland Oolong to try side-by-side. With careful tasting, you will be able to tell them apart.